Say What?

I'm supposed to be out riding but I sat down a few hours ago (for just a few minutes) to upload some photos from my camera to my Flickr account and I'm still here. Maybe some downtime in front of my laptop is what I really need as it feels like I've been going nonstop for the last week or more. I did manage to finally hammer out an update to Our Sun-Porch Addition blog so I've not been totally unproductive. Okay, so I'll just do an abbreviated ride today instead. That works, too! Bryan and Sue came in from Portland via Hickory, NC a little over a week ago for a family reunion. Keith and Tracee hosted the get-together at their home in Northfield about 25 miles south of us. Theirs is the perfect place for a gathering like that! Considering how hot and humid the weather had been up until the day before the reunion, we really lucked out with a picture-perfect day...and many pictures did some of us take! Here are mine. Bryan and Sue stayed with us for the week a...

Mom's checkup last Friday for her healing eye didn't go so well and she had to go back in for another surgery Saturday morning to tack her retina back in place. This latest procedure wasn't quite as involved as the other two and the prognosis appears to be good but then she's heard that before. We attended the wedding of Tammy's nephew in St. Peter last weekend. I'd only met Brady on maybe one other occasion. He's the kind of person who leaves a really positive impression on you as does his wife, Kaylee. They've got such a bright future. Both the wedding and reception were held on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus. The acoustics in the church left a lot to be desired but I loved the stained glass. It was simple but had a refined look to it. I didn't have my nicer camera with me but I tried my best to capture a panorama of the artwork with my Droid. The wedding was nice but we enjoyed the reception and dinner even more. We had picked up Rachel an...

I was up at 6:30 and out the door by 7:00 this morning with the pups hurrying to get them out for a walk before the temps got above 70 and in a range where Toby and Allie struggle somewhat, especially with the high humidity we have. Walking at night hasn't been an option lately with all of the fireworks that come alive in the evening. Allie looks to jump into my arms at the first sound of them. For the most part, they're content to hang out at home next to me. If I'm gone, you'll typically find Allie and Charlie by the back door with Toby in his spot on the family room couch by the dragonfly lamp. We're looking forward to having our deck completed so they can while away the hours out there in the fresh air. After chatting with Joe this morning and giving him my approval for some decisions we needed to make about the construction of the pergola, I was free to suit up and hammer out some miles on my bike before work. I really love my Monday morning loop. It's ...

I was off from work last week. Typically when I have to go back to the salt-mine after a vacation it's always just a little depressing but not so this time. I got so much accomplished during my time away that coming back to work will give me a chance to catch my breath or at least that's what I tell myself anyway. I had planned to go for an all-day ride on Friday but Thursday night I decided that my bike would have to remain on ice while I tended to more pressing matters that weren't going to magically get done on their own. After Antonio finished the retaining wall he built for our porch I decided it was time to finally get my hands dirty with our porch project . I'm so glad I made that decision and have all of that work behind me. I'll have to make a similar effort and more once the deck is completed but at least I've taken a big bite out of what's been waiting for me. I'll hit the roads hard for a couple of hours tomorrow before work and I won...

I got a text from Rachel last week: "You might find this exciting. Remember nate melhoff? He's walking from mn to San Francisco." She then gave me a link to Nate's blog that he'll be updating along the way: Seeing It Slowly. (Edit: the link is now gone.) I've often dreamt of doing a cross-country trip by bike but never on foot although there's certainly something about that which appeals to me as well. Nate's father is also an air traffic controller in Farmington where I work but I don't really know him. It's a big facility. I believe Rachel and Nate dated once in high school. I intend to walk the country along with him through his writings and invite you to do the same if you feel so inclined. It's quite a journey he's committed to taking on and I would guess that any words of encouragement you might have for him along the way would be welcome. Tammy was having internet connectivity issues last week while working from home caus...

I got a Father's Day card in the mail a couple days ago addressed to Mr. Kevin Gilmore from none other than my stepdaughter. We like to keep things formal between us, often referring to one another with the 'step' (as in stepfather or stepdaughter) title. We're weird, we know that. I can also tell you that there isn't a stepdad on the planet who loves his stepdaughter more than I love mine! Actually, the only time I refer to her as my stepdaughter is when we're joking around. For me, the 'step' part seems to cast a negative connotation on our relationship. I don't like that. If anybody asks, she's my daughter and once you get me started talking about her it can be difficult to get me to stop. One quick 'Rachel' story. Early on in our relationship before Tammy and I were married, Tammy was putting Rachel to bed and saying her prayers with her. I had a place in their list of people to pray for and when they got to me on this night, Rach...

I had most of last week off from work but because of some rainy weather and a sciatic nerve flare-up, I was mostly kept sidelined. I suppose forced downtime is okay but I get restless when I have to sit still for too long. Mom's initial treatment for her detached and torn retina was unsuccessful so she had to go back and have another procedure done where they insert a gas bubble into the eye which works to keep the damaged retina in place while it heals. She was mostly awake for the 45-minute procedure. It's called  Pneumatic Retinopexy . I find it so incredible the things that people are able to do. She still has very limited vision in her damaged eye but hopefully that will improve over the next few weeks and months. I think she said it could take six months before she'll achieve her optimum vision. Tammy's mom is in town for another few days. We were able to bring her to see my mom and let them visit for a couple hours last Friday night. It's the first time...